WATCH: Mark Stoops speaks for final time before Alabama game

adamluckettksr

mark-stoops-among-college-footballs-top-10-highest-paid-coaches — (Photo by Dr. Michael Huang | Kentucky Sports Radio)

Kentucky enters Week 11 with some momentum. Fresh off an easy 21-point SEC road win against Mississippi State last weekend, the Wildcats will now get a chance to take a swing at the king of college football on Senior Day.

No. 8 Alabama is rolling into Lexington for the first time in a decade. Kentucky will be looking to avoid a third consecutive SEC loss at home when the Wildcats host the Tide. On Thursday evening, Mark Stoops stepped in front of a podium to field questions for the final time before toe meets leather at Kroger Field.

“Been a really good week of practice. Obviously, we needed that victory last week,” Stoops told reporters. “We’ve had beautiful weather. Guys have been in good spirits”

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Kentucky will have an honorary captain on Saturday

Tom Kalinowski is in his 46th season as Kentucky’s head equipment manager. The 1978 graduate of the University of Kentucky served as a student manager in 1974 and was then named the program’s head manager upon graduation. Kalinowski has been with the program for a half century.

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On Saturday against Alabama, Kentucky will honor the long-time employee by allowing Kalinowski to be an honorary captain in Week 11.

#TK50 Honorary Captain. pic.twitter.com/syOUqlNTrW
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) November 9, 2023

The Connecticut native has worked under head coaches Fran Curci (1974-81), Jerry Claiborne (1982-89), Bill Curry (1990-96), Hal Mumme (1997-00), Guy Morriss (2001-02), Rich Brooks (2003-09), Joker Phillips (2010-12), and Mark Stoops (2013-present). Perhaps no one knows the inner workings of this football program better.

Kalinowski will received a well-deserved honor from the university on Saturday.

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